The National Art Museum in Minsk was opened to visitors in November 1939. During the Great Patriotic War, the collection that could not be evacuated was almost completely lost. Only a small part of the works was returned: they were found by Soviet soldiers in the cities of East Prussia and by the residents of Minsk in the destroyed city, as well as those works that were on exhibitions in Russia before the war.

This museum is the largest collection of national and foreign art in the country, housing over 30,000 exhibits that make up 20 collections of art monuments from Belarus and other countries of the world. The scientific work of the staff is aimed at a deep study of the collections and individual works, the creation of an electronic catalog and fund cards. The museum has scientific departments that deal with ancient Belarusian, contemporary Belarusian, Russian, and foreign art, as well as educational, scientific-fund, and scientific-restoration activities.

The museum also manages the following branches: the Museum of Belarusian Folk Art in Raubichi, the V.K. Bialynitsky-Birulya Museum in Mogilev, and the Vankovich House, dedicated to the culture and art of the first half of the 19th century.